Process of treating asbestos



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD n. GARCIN, or new Yonx, n. Y

rno'cnss or TREATING AsBEs'ros.

No Drawing.

as cotton. Asbestos fibers which have been separated and treated according to my process are not only cleaned and rendered more pliable, but their tensile strength is materially increased, adapting them not only to be spun into yarn, but to be woven into fabrics and used in-the manufacture of other material in the arts where a strong and pliable, as well as a heat and flame resisting fiber is required.

Briefly stated, my improved process comprises treating the crude asbestos-with water and steam, in connection with the mechanical treatment thereof, in such a manner as to allow the fibers to be easily separated without causing impairment of'the quality of the fibers by breaking or otherwise injuring them. Heretofore it has been considered that the application of moisture to asbestos would cause injury to the same by weakening the fibers and affecting its chemical composition, but I have found after considerable research and investigation that when treated according tosmy improved process, the asbestos is not only purified and cleaned but its tensile strength is increased in addition to being made more pliable and soft so that y it is rendered more nearly like cotton and wool fibers in that respect.

For a detailed description of one example of my improved process which I at present deem preferable, reference may be had to the following specification. ,My improved process comprises the following steps:

(1) The raw or crude asbestos is soaked .in a bath of water which is preferably hot,

for such a length of time as to allow the water to be absorbed and to thoroughly pen-- etrateinterstices of the material.

(2) While still wet the asbestos is crushed and opened by passing the same between crushing rolls of any preferred form known ew York, have invented certainv Patented May is, 1920.

in the arts,-and with suflicient' pressure to separatethe fibers without injuring their structure.

(3) The asbestos is then soaked in an aqueous solution of an acid for the purpose of strengthening the fiber and neutralizing any alkaline material that may be retained therein. This acid solution may be of any preferred kind depending upon the character and the chemical composition of the asbestos as determined by its source or the place where mined.

. (4) The asbestos is then washed in hot water and with jets of steam.- The apparatus which I prefer to use for this purpose is what is known as a bowl washer in which the material is agitated or stirred by paddlesl (5) The a bestos is then transferred to other vats whe e it is further washed with hot water alone; this removes the last traces a machine inthe form of press rolls which squeeze substantially all the moisture out of the fiber.

(7) The fibers are then opened up in a machine known in the textile trade as a Wet picker by which the fibers are loosened or further separated and put in a condition for eflicient and quick drying.

(8) The-drying is accomplished by use of the usual drier employed in the textile trade for drying wool, etc., and is preferably a continuously operating machine from which the fibers are expelled b a blast of air after being subjected to the eat of suitable steam coils or other heating means.

The asbestos fiber is then in a condition to be packed or baled and transported to the manufacturers of yarn, cloth or other fibrous material, as in'the case of other fibers for making textile fabrics, etc.

Having thus described one example of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as being limited to the details of procedure thereof as set forth nor to the specific order in which the steps of the process are carried those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. The process of treating asbestos for separating and strengthening the fibers thereof which comprises, subjecting the asmeans.

ciated by mechanical means. I

2. The process of treating asbestos for separating and strengthenin' the fibers thereof which comprises, su jecting the fibers to hot water and to an acid solution and disassociating the same by mechanical 3. The process of treating asbestos for separating and strengthening the fibers thereof which comprlses, subjecting the' asbestos to a bath of hot water, crushing, then subjectin the fibers to an acid bath, washing the bers and disassociating the same by mechan'ica means.

4. The process of treating asbestos for separating and strengthening the fibers thereof which comprises, crushing the asbestos between suitable rolls, subjecting the ,steam and hot water,

fibers to an acid solution, washing with ressing the same, disassociating the fibers by means of a wet picke%, and then drying.

5. separating and strengthenin the fibers thereof which comprlses, su jectin the fibers to a bath of hot water for a su cient time to soften the fibers, passing the same through crushing rolls, treating the same with an acid solution to strengthen the fibers and to neutralize any alkali therein, washing with steam and hot water passmg the fibers through squeeze rolls tor expelling moisture, subjecting the fibers to the action of a wet picker for disas'sociating the same, and then drying.

Signed at New York, N. Y., this 3rd day of December, 1919.

EDWARD H. GARCIN.

he process of treating asbestos for 

